


After the Match

by ladyinpink602 (leodis57)



Category: Tennis RPF
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Friendship/Love, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-20
Updated: 2013-11-20
Packaged: 2018-01-02 04:42:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1052649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leodis57/pseuds/ladyinpink602
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rafa is worried about Roger and goes to visit Roger after he wins their match at the WTF. He helps put the twins to bed before spending time with Roger.</p>
            </blockquote>





	After the Match

**Author's Note:**

> Fluff, angst and implied romance in the Roger/Rafa universe. I was in a soppy mood when I wrote it! 
> 
> This is a work of fiction and I don't know of any of the people mentioned in the story.

**After the match**

Rafa gave the door a tentative knock.  Going to call on Roger after the match had seemed like a good idea at the time, now he was not so sure.   He felt nervous suddenly and shifted from one foot to another as he waited, wondering what sort of response he was going to receive.

Mirka opened the door, her expression a mixture of surprise and annoyance.  Rafa immediately felt guilty.  He was clearly the last person she expected or wanted to see and who could blame her? Here was the man who had decisively beaten her husband that very afternoon.

“Rafael.” she said, standing back and letting him step over the threshold to the luxury suite.  “What a surprise.”  Her eyebrows were arched as she fixed him with a meaningful stare.

“Hello Mirka.” replied Rafa, giving her his most charming smile. “How are you? Is Roger .....”

“You want to talk to Roger?” Mirka moved to stand squarely in front of him and folded her arms. 

“Well, yes, if that is OK?” He began to wonder if was going to be allowed any further into the room.

“Mirka, who is it?” A tousled haired Roger stood in the doorway to one of the inner rooms.

His wife turned and Roger glimpsed a familiar head behind her.  “Rafa?” he said.

“Si Roger, it is me.  I want to see you, to see how you are.” Intimidated by Mirka he fumbled with his words.

Mirka shot Roger a look and he nodded in return.   “You had better come in then” she said as Roger withdrew into the other room.  “He’s just reading the girls a story before we put them to bed. “

Rafa followed Mirka into the inner room and there found Roger, in T shirt and jeans, sitting cross legged in the middle of the floor,  picture-book on his lap, a twin in pink pyjamas on either side of him.  Charlene was leaning on one side of her father listening intently with her thumb in her mouth.  Myla Rose sat on the other side holding a large white teddy bear, her eyelids drooping.  Rafa thought he’d never seen a more adorable sight.

After picking up her handbag Mirka bent down and kissed the girls.  She said something in Swiss German to them before adding “I’ll be back shortly, don’t keep them up too long.” Roger looked up and smiled at his wife as she blew a kiss before leaving.

“Mummy?” cried Charlene looking in alarm at her mother’s retreating back.

“She’ll be back soon, darling, ready to tuck you into bed.” Roger said, calming his daughter. ”Rafa’s come to say goodnight, isn’t that nice?”

Rafa joined the little family group, sitting down opposite Roger so that he was between the two girls.  He beamed at them, giving them each a funny little wave, which made them squeal and giggle.  “So, what is the story?” he asked.

“It’s Cinderella” answered Roger.  “I don’t know how many times I’ve read this, but it’s always their favourite.”

“Daddy, go on with the story” whined Myla Rose pointing at a picture of Cinderella’s coach.

“I’d better do as I’m told” said Roger, winking at Rafa.

As Rafa listened to Roger read he thought how tired he seemed, his face looked drained and though his tone was upbeat for the girls’ sake, he eyes had a tinge of sadness to them.  Rafa’s heart thudded uncomfortably; was he responsible for Roger’s unhappiness? There was nothing like the exhilaration of winning but when it meant causing misery to someone he cared so much about, he hated its flipside.

*****

The story seemed to have done the trick; by the time Roger said the words “and they all lived happily ever after” both girls were more than half asleep.  Roger picked up Charlene and Rafa picked up Myla Rose and they took them into the adjoining bedroom, laying them on the twin beds and covering them with the matching duvets.  Roger kissed both girls on the tops of their heads and turned to leave when a sleepy voice said “I want a kiss from Rafa”; the two men shared a smile before Rafa dropped a kiss on Myla Rose and then gave one to her sister.  Rafa whispered “Goodnight, little ladies” before they left the room, leaving a bedside light on and the door slightly ajar.

“Well”, said Roger opening the door to the mini bar “You can call by every night to help with the bedtime routine!” He waved a bottle of water at Rafa before picking up an extra one and joining him on the sofa.

“I’d like that” replied Rafa taking the water and opening the top. “I love kids – and your two are special.”

“You’re a natural, but then I’ve told you that before.” Roger took a sip of water.

Rafa shrugged.  “I’ve had plenty of practice with Toni’s three.”

There was a pause before Roger tapped Rafa on the arm.  “So, what’s the reason for the visit?  Enchanting as my girls are I don’t think you’ve come just to see them.”

“I came to see if you are OK.” Rafa looked down at his hands and then gave Roger a shy glance.

Roger’s eyebrows lifted.  Why? Why would I not be?”

“Roger, today – after the match – you, you looked so sad, I was concerned about you.”

Roger gave a half smile.  “Don’t worry.  I can take it.  After all, it’s not as if I haven’t had practice!”

Rafa looked puzzled for a minute. “Practice?” he said.

“At losing to you, Rafa.”  Roger took another drink and put the bottle down on the nearby table.

“But Roger, win or lose is not the most important thing.  It is us – our friendship – that is what I care about.”

“No offence, Rafa, but it’s easy to say that when you win.”  Roger stood up and walked to the window; he placed his hands on his hips and stared into the distance.

A stricken look crossed Rafa’s face as he got up to join him.

Roger saw the look.  “Sorry Raf, I didn’t mean that to sound hard.  It’s just – well this has been a shit year for me, you know?”  “But Roger, you are the best in history yes? I have always believed this.”

There was a sharp intake of breath from Roger.  “I wish you wouldn’t keep saying that Rafa, really.  It’s …. uncomfortable for me, OK?”

“But it’s what I always believe, Rog.” Rafa put his hand on Roger’s shoulder and held his gaze for a second, noticing the emotion in his eyes.

Roger roughly brushed away a stray tear.    

“You’re going to have me blubbing in a minute,” he said. Trying to lighten the moment he added:   “We don’t want a repeat of the AO trophy ceremony in 09.”

“But sometimes it is a good thing to show emotion, Roger.  In Spain we know this – in Switzerland I think, not so much.”

“Yeah, we’re a pretty restrained lot as a rule.” Roger gave a watery smile as he said this.

“Anyway, I would not mind a little if we repeat the trophy ceremony at AO.”

Roger blinked. “Why?”

“Well then I can do this.”  Rafa put his arm around Roger’s neck and rested his head against Roger’s.   A few of Roger’s curls mixed with the strands of his hair and Rafa could feel the wetness on Roger’s cheek, hear the beat of his heart.

“Rafa,” said Roger softly “I don’t know what to say.”

“We do not need words, Roger” Rafa touched his chest.  “It is the heart that counts.”

“I think I’ve always known that, about you and me …”

“We are one and I think will always be so. Fedal no?” said Rafa firmly.

“Fedal” replied Roger as he moved closer in Rafa’s embrace.

 

END

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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